7 Indiana High Schools Receive National Recognition for Achievements and Inclusion
Seven Indiana high schools received national banner recognition from Special Olympics North America for their effort to provide inclusive sports and activities for students with and without intellectual disabilities.
The following schools earned this distinguished status as a result of meeting 10 national standards of excellence in the areas of inclusion, advocacy and respect. These standards were developed by a panel of national leaders from Special Olympics and educators.
The schools are:
- Blackford Jr/Sr High School
- Carmel High School
- Fort Wayne North Side High School
- Griffith Jr/Sr High School
- Lafayette Jefferson High School
- Mooresville High School
- Valparaiso High School
Blackford, Carmel, Fort Wayne North, Mooresville and Valparaiso are repeat winners. Griffith and Lafayette Jeff earned their first banner recognition.
The primary activities within these standards include inclusive youth leadership opportunities, whole school engagement and Special Olympics Unified Sports®, where students with and without disabilities train and compete as teammates. Utilizing these three interconnected components has been shown to create accepting school environments.
More than 500 Indiana schools currently participate in the Unified Champion Schools® program. They are part of 10,000 schools that take part nationwide.
The Unified Champion Schools® model is supported by the Office of Special Education Programs at the U.S. Department of Education. This model has been proven, through research, to be an effective and replicable means of providing students with and without disabilities the opportunity to form positive social relationships and promote a socially inclusive school climate.
Learn more about the program at SOindiana.org/unified-champion-schools.